Fantastic lyrics and arrangement as always.

Beautiful song, and I love the arrangement.

Very nice song with some lovely arrangements and vocals !

Nice piece of songwriting/performance so endearing  to listen to with a clear production . Great job Phil 👍

A really great song Phil, great songwriting. Johnny

fantastic song Phil, great lyric, another beauty

Nice shot of nostalgia with a fine bed of music

Simply because I was born at a lucky time and in a lucky place I have never been obliged or forced into direct involvement in any of the cruel conflicts that have happened and are happening in the world. I find myself continually aware of this and grateful for it. This song is a kind of lament, I suppose, for those far less fortunate than myself.

The River Ran Slow

We thought we knew everything
Everyday was a spring
We didn’t know pain, we didn’t know change
But a change was to come
Yes, a change was to come
It came with a lie
It came from the sky
It came with a bomb

But how would we tell?
How could we know?
When our hearts were young
And the river ran slow

Watching darkening skies
Through rose coloured eyes
Hearing the sound that was shaking the ground
Well a pen or a gun
When all said and done
It comes to the same
When it comes to the blame
So why did we have to run

But how would we tell?
How could we know?
When our hearts were young
And the river ran slow

Flow sweet river flow
And blow gentle winds
Sway sweet willows-o
When will we dream again?

But how would we tell?
How could we know?
When our hearts were young
And the river ran slow

When our hearts were young
And the river ran slow

Phil Riley
October 2022

The River Ran Slow

I started musical life a long time ago now in local folk clubs in the midlands - I think I was 16 when I did my first gig just solo. Over the years I knocked on the door of a 'proper' musical career but never got further than the hall! I had a single out on Polydor in '76 with a band called 'Kites' and Pete Townsend of The Who signed me up to his Eel Pie Publishing Company. I bounced about a bit and finally got another single out on EMI with a band called 'The Dots' and a deal with Virgin Publishing in '82. It reached the dizzy heights of number 96 in the charts but for some reason we never got a follow up. Ah well.. When The Dots expired I hung up my guitar and didn't really play again until the autumn of 2006.  I team up with an a couple of pals for duo and trio stuff and am actively seeking to get my new repertoire of 'folky'/'Americanary' songs out to see if I've got an audience (however small and select!)

Comments

Steve Low

IanD

Jim Mcgill

No killie fish

Gaz Brownie

TheGat(s)

Frank DANA

Mick Mangan

Aaron Phyre

Dave Taylor